Office of the Premier

Hockey Canada, on behalf of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), has announced the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship will return to British Columbia. The Site Selection Committee awarded the tournament to the Province of B.C. and BC Hockey in a live press conference from Rogers Arena in Vancouver.
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Intergovernmental Relations Secretariat

Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations Minister Steve Thomson is leading a delegation of more than 25 senior executives from B.C.'s forest companies and associations to Japan and China.
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Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation

Protecting lands, water and the natural world. That’s the overarching mission of the Gitanyow stewardship guardians and, for the past five years, the guardians have been monitoring fish, wildlife, hunting activities and environmental impacts in Gitanyow traditional territory.
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Advanced Education

Canadians will be better equipped for the well-paying middle-class jobs of today and tomorrow as a result of a $13.8-million investment in the College of New Caledonia for a new heavy-mechanical trades-training facility.
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Agriculture

As B.C. wines continue to be recognized for their quality and distinction, wine lovers are looking for more details to distinguish where the wine they enjoy is produced, and the B.C. government is providing those assurances.
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Children and Family Development

A final report from the Ministry of Children and Family Development’s special advisor provides 85 recommendations to overhaul British Columbia’s Indigenous child welfare system and improve outcomes for Indigenous children and youth by changing focus from intervention and separation to strengthening families.
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Community, Sport and Cultural Development

Hockey Canada, on behalf of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), has announced the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship will return to British Columbia. The Site Selection Committee awarded the tournament to the Province of B.C. and BC Hockey in a live press conference from Rogers Arena in Vancouver.
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Energy and Mines

With the holiday season underway, it’s important to remember that many of the gifts British Columbians will purchase this year have a homegrown connection to B.C. resources such as minerals and steelmaking coal.
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Environment

The Province will build on its world-renowned provincial parks system by hiring more park rangers to enhance conservation, improving services for persons with disabilities and launching a new BC Parks Foundation so community groups, businesses and individuals can come together and have a voice in BC Parks priorities.
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Finance

British Columbia’s Second Quarterly Report continues to forecast increased revenues and reduced debt, demonstrating that government’s ongoing fiscal prudence, economic diversification and debt reduction continue to have a positive impact on the provincial economy.
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Health

In response to the increasing number of overdose-related deaths, the Province is opening additional health-care supports in partnership with health authorities and community partners. Supports include stationing the BC Mobile Medical Unit and setting up overdose prevention sites at overdose hot spots.
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International Trade

The B.C. government’s commitment in the #BCTECH Strategy to improve access to capital is paying off as B.C. tech companies are taking advantage of the Province’s venture capital programs to reach new levels of growth.
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Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training

Up to 200 people in Greater Vancouver are receiving the training they need for jobs in their communities, thanks to the federal-provincial partnership under the Canada-B.C. Job Fund Agreement.
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Justice

Government is acting to ensure greater safety and protection of those experiencing or are at risk of family violence, by using professional process servers for delivery of protection orders at no cost to applicants, in all regions of the province.
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Natural Gas Development

As cooler weather moves in throughout the province, communities have almost 1,000 extreme weather shelter beds ready to be activated if conditions threaten the health and safety of homeless individuals.
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Small Business and Red Tape Reduction

‘Tis the season of dinner parties, office gatherings, and holiday festivities! While it is important to enjoy the holiday season with friends and family, BC Liquor Stores throughout the province have an important message for British Columbians: Good hosts don’t let guests drink and drive.
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Technology, Innovation and Citizens' Services

The B.C. government’s commitment in the #BCTECH Strategy to improve access to capital is paying off as B.C. tech companies are taking advantage of the Province’s venture capital programs to reach new levels of growth.
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Economy

With the holiday season underway, it’s important to remember that many of the gifts British Columbians will purchase this year have a homegrown connection to B.C. resources such as minerals and steelmaking coal.
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Government Operations

With the holiday season in full swing, the Government of B.C. is reminding British Columbians to celebrate safely and make good decisions when riding in limousines, including limo buses, during celebrations.
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Services

More than 60 teachers from the Lower Mainland gathered at the Microsoft Centre of Excellence in downtown Vancouver to learn basic coding techniques from some of the best instructors in the industry – all to make sure B.C. students have the skills they need to succeed in today’s changing world.
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Paw-sitively awesome! Guides and handlers of service dogs can breathe a little easier now.
The changes to the Guide Dog and Service Dog Act that come into effect Monday, January 18th mean higher fines for denying access or tenancy & better training standards for dogs, http://ow.ly/X89Mo.

On Jan. 18, 2016, new legislation will come into effect that modernizes guide dog and service dog guidelines in B.C., bringing higher training standards, improving accessibility to public spaces and strata properties, and strengthening public safety.

The Guide Dog and Service Dog Act makes it clear that discrimination is unacceptable, giving certified guide or service dog handlers access rights equal to those enjoyed by all members of the public. The act updates guide dog and service dog guidelines, by:

Expanding tenancy rights to include strata properties and certified retired dogs residing with their handlers.

Providing public access rights for certified dogs in training.

Recognizing service dogs in addition to guide dogs.

Requiring a high training standard.

Establishing a more robust decision-making process for certification.

Strengthening compliance and enforcement.

(flickr.com)

Starting Monday, dog handlers will be able to submit certification applications to the Security Programs Division of the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General. Once these applications are processed, handlers seeking certification for guide and service dogs that were not trained by an accredited school will be able to have their dogs tested by the Justice Institute of British Columbia.

The new legislation fulfils a commitment made in Accessibility 2024 – government’s 10-year action plan to make B.C. the most progressive province in Canada for persons with disabilities.

Quotes:

Premier Christy Clark –

“British Columbia is synonymous with diversity, and ensuring equality of access to public spaces for those who depend on certified guide and service dogs is one more way we honour and celebrate that diversity. These legislative advancements are the result of consultation with key, knowledgeable stakeholders, and we thank them for the insights that have helped to make these improvements possible.”

Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General Mike Morris –

“The Guide Dog and Service Dog Act is one more step toward making B.C. the most progressive province in the country for people with disabilities. These certification changes will enable people who rely on a guide or service dog to enjoy the same protected rights and opportunities as every citizen.”

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Quick Facts:

Guide and service dogs are crucial for many British Columbians who live with a disability. For example, they may help individuals who are visually impaired to navigate city streets, or provide assistance with things such as hearing loss, epilepsy, diabetes or post-traumatic stress disorder.

Retired dogs are included in the changes to tenancy rules. Once a dog is no longer certified as a working animal due to age, injury or disease, it will now be able to be certified as retired and remain in the home with its handler.

Handlers seeking certification for guide and service dogs that were not trained by an accredited school will now be able to have them tested by a neutral third party, the Justice Institute of British Columbia.